Africa-Press – Liberia. Defending champions of the Liberia football Association New Kru Town Subcommittee third division league Gardnerville Professional Academy (GPA ) attacker Kessley Kawalo on Tuesday rescued a dramatic late point against rivals Bendu FC, clawing back a 90th-minute equalizer at the D. Tweh Field in a tense New Kru Town Sub-Committee League encounter that keeps the title race on a knife-edge.
The stalemate leaves the league table tightly contested, with Renewal FC maintaining the top spot with 16 points, followed by Bendu FC in second with 13 points, and GPA trailing in third with 11 points.
A Tale of Two Halves
The match began with high intensity, but missed opportunities defined the opening exchanges.
GPA squandered a clear opening in the 18th minute, a mistake they couldn’t capitalize on in the 18th when their winger Feton Saydee missed a clear chance.
Just two minutes later in the 20th minute, Bendu FC’s David K Togba silenced the defending champions, calmly slotting home an easy finish to give his side a 1-0 lead.
Despite sustained pressure from GPA before the interval, Bendu’s backline remained disciplined, taking the narrow lead into the break.
Bendu FC had a golden opportunity to put the game beyond reach five minutes into the second half. Their talismanic striker Lahai Zayzay broke clear for a one-on-one with the keeper but failed to convert a miss that eventually haunted the second-place side.
The Equalizer
With time deserting them, GPA threw numbers forward in a desperate bid to salvage their championship credentials.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 90th minute when a defensive lapse in the Bendu box allowed the champions to pounce, leveling the score at 1-1 just before the final whistle.
Captain’s Reaction
Speaking to reporters after the match, the GPA captain, Isaac Davies, acknowledged the gravity of the rivalry but expressed concern over his side’s form in front of goal.
“We expected a tough match because Bendu is our rival in the league,” the captain said. “Going down in the first half, we went into the dressing room and told ourselves we must take at least a point from the game or all three.”
While pleased with the comeback, he issued a challenge to his frontline. “We are champions and need to show it on the field. But one problem we face now is that our attackers are not scoring.”
As the New Kru Town Sub-Committee League enters its decisive phase, both sides will need to find their clinical edge if they hope to unseat Renewal FC at the summit of the table.
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